There are many houses of significance on St. Charles Avenue. I wouldn'twant to get into an argument about which is the most beautiful, the mosthistoric or the most architecturally interesting. But, there seems to bea consensus that the W. P. Brown house is actually the largest.

And that's no accident. When Mr. Brown started planning the house,he promised his new bride that he would build her the most palatialhome in New Orleans. In a city known for its grand homes, Mr. Brownhad to go to some lengths to keep his promise.

He imported material and craftsmen from all over the world. No expensewas spared and no detail overlooked. Work on the mansion was begunin 1901 and completed in 1904. When it was finished, the impressive22,000 square feet, 4-story Romanesque Revival home was, in theopinion of many, indeed, the grandest home on the grandest avenue.

Above & directly below, the Brown house a few years after it was built.

W. P. Brown's firm cornered the global cotton market in the early 1900's, makinghim one of the wealthiest men in the South. He went on to establish HiberniaBank, one of the most respected banks in the city and still open today,

The photo directly above is courtesy of nola.com; the photo atthe top of the page is courtesy of Asergeev; the secondphoto from the top of the page is courtesy of Luxist.

The magnificent home Mr. Brown built for his wife has been owned by severalprominent New Orleanians through the years. Its second owner was FloriedaBatson Gibbens, who was captain of the team of 13 U.S. women whoparticipated in the 1922 Women's Olympics in Paris.

A few years ago, the Brown home was offered for sale. Many of the people whopassed by it on the avenue every day held their collective breath in anticipationof who might buy it and what might become of the property. But good newscame in the form of new owner, John Houghtaling, who said that he's beenin love with the house since he first saw it at the age of 11.

Mr. Houghtaling recently provided New Orleanians with an opportunity to seethe inside of the home - its first public tour ever - in conjunction with the NewOrleans Museum of Art Home and Art Tour, which benefited the museum.

More than a hundred years after its construction, the grandest houseon the grandest avenue still impresses and still holds its place asone of the city's brightest stars. -- Nancy